inno IMX296 Sensor Module User Manual

CAM-IMX296Mono-GS
CAM-IMX296Color-GS
Raspberry PI Global Shutter Camera
Support Hardware Trigger and Strobe
With Sony IMX296 Mono/Color Sensor
IMX296 Sensor Module User Manual

IMX296 Sensor Module

Document Purpose
This Document is for inn maker imx296 mono version camera module and imx296 color version camera module.

Normally We will update our development Mannual here
https://github.com/INNO-MAKER/cam-imx296raw-trigger
https://www.inno-maker.com/product/cam-mipi296raw-trigger/

Module Overview

InnoMaker IMX296 Sensor Module is a Global Shutter Camera with IMX296LLR-C CMOS Sensor Module for raspberry pi, compatible with raspberry pi build in driver. It supports up to 60fps at 1456×1088 Pixels operate with shorter exposure times down to 30µs, given enough light than a rolling shutter camera, which makes it useful for high-speed photography.

1.1 Module Features

• Support up to 60fps@1456×1088, totally Compatible with raspberry pi GS camera;
• Support M12 Len/ CS Len, comes with 1xM12 Wide angle lens/Cs Lens Seat.
• Support output format YUV with Resolution 1456*1088 up to 60fps.
• Support Hardware External Trigger.
• Support Strobe Function.

1.2 Sensor Overview:
This chip operates with analog 3.3V, digital 1.2V, and interface 1.8V triple power supply:

• low power consumption.
• High sensitivity, low dark current and low PLS characteristics are achieved.
  (Applications: Sensing

IMX296LLR / IMX296LQR-C

Hardware Description

2.1 Pins Out Table(J1)

2.2 Camera Size 

2.3 Camera Lens
M12 Len 

• Interface: M12
• Field of view Fov(D) = wide angle
• Focal Length 2.8 mm
• Focal Distance Adjustable
• TV DISTORTION <-17%
• F(N) /Aperture 2.2
• IR-Filter
• Yes for Color Version
• No for Mono Version

M12 LEN Seat

CS Len Seat

2.4 Flash Strobe Pins(J2)

2.4.1 Reference Circuit

On-board TLP281 optocoupler isolation, Notice the max collector current is 50mA.

Output Specifications

So, if the current required to drive the Flash LED is no more than 50mA

The value of series resistor: R1 = ( VCC- Vf – VCE ) / If

• VCC: system Voltage
• Vf: Forward voltage of Flash LED for current Icc
• VCE: Collection Emitter voltage, typical:0.1V

If the current required to drive the flash exceeds 50mA,

• then it is required to drive it with the help of LED driver circuit, and LED driver circuit can be controlled by using the strobe output pin.

2.5 External TRIG Pins(J3)

2.5.1 Reference Circuit

The calculations done here are based on 12VDC. Please do follow these calculations for other voltages like 24VDC.
Let’s take the current through IR LED I_{f} = 20mA
Voltage drop across the IR LED = 1.25V
The value of Resistor R1 = (Vcc-Vi)/If = (12-1.25)/0.02 = 537.5 Ω Wattage of resistor R 1 >l 2 ^ * R 1 =0.02^ 2* 537.5 = 0.215W
Wattage of the resistor R1 selected should be greater than 0.215W.
And there is a resistor on board (R * 4 = 200Omega) So the R_add = R1-R4 = 537.5 – 200 = 337.50

Quick Start Guide

Connection

3.1 Modify config.txt
sudo nano /boot/firmware/config.txt
older os it should be sudo nano /boot/ config.txt

3.2 Add dtoverlay
For CAM1 Interface
dtoverlay=imx296, cam1
For CAM0 Interface
dtoverlay=imx296, cam0
Change camera_auto_detect=1 to camera_auto_detect=0
Save file and reboot.

3.2 Preview
Reboot and check camera Status
$ls /dev/video*

$libcamera-vid –width 1456 –height 1088 -t 0

3.3 libcamera-apps
More about libcamera and libcamera-apps Please
Refer:
https://www.raspberrypi.com/documentation/computers/camera_software.html#libcamera-and-libcamera-apps

External Trigger Mode

4.1 Description

• The Global Shutter (GS) camera can be triggered externally by pulsing the external trigger (denoted on the board as XTR （Trig+）,GND(Trig-)) connection on the board.
  Multiple cameras can be connected to the same pulse, allowing for an alternative way to synchronize two cameras.
• The exposure time is equal to the low pulse-width time plus an additional 14.26us. i.e. a low pulse of 10000us leads to an exposure time of 10014.26us. Framerate is directly controlled by how often you pulse the pin. A PWM frequency of 30Hz will lead to a framerate of 30 frames per second.

4.2 Download source from our GitHub
We use raspberry pi5 as example, showing dual Camera in free working: sudo git clone https://github.com/INNO-MAKER/cam-imx296raw-trigger.gitcd cam-imx296raw-trigger sudo chmod -R a+rwx *

4.3 Setting config.txt
sudo nano /boot/firmware/config.txt
Add below content to last line follow [all]
dtoverlay=imx296,always-on,cam0
dtoverlay=imx296,always-on,cam1

4.4 Timeout Setting
sudo cp /usr/share/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/pisp/example.yaml timeout.yaml
Edit timeout.yaml by sudo nano timeout.yaml
delete the # (comment) from the “camera_timeout_value_ms”: line, and change the number from 0 to 60000,

Then run below command
export LIBCAMERA_RPI_CONFIG_FILE=timeout.yaml
4.5 libcamera Tool
To make two cameras work in free running mode

for example:
libcamera-hello -t 0 –camera 0
libcamera-hello -t 0 –camera 1

4.6 Trigger Tool
This tool can enable imx296 trigger mode individually.

./imx296_trigger [i2c bus] [on/off]

Note: on pi5
camera1 i2c bus =4
camera0 i2c bus =6
on=1 off=0

Example:
camera 1 trigger on:
./imx296_trigger 4 1
camera 1 trigger off:
./imx296_trigger 4 0
camera 0 trigger on:
./imx296_trigger 6 1
camera 0 trigger off:
./imx296_trigger 6 0

4.6 Trigger Pins Wire
Follow Chapter 2.5

4.7 Trigger Signal
We use Raspberry PI5 PIN23,GND GPIO as trigger signal and send signal by below script, Script code is as below, save it to .sh file.

while true;do
gpioset gpiochip0 23=1
sleep 1.9999
gpioset gpiochip0 23=0
sleep 0.0033
done

Open another terminal window to run the script

On Board EEPROM

InnoMaker provide on board EEPROM, TYPE: FT24C08A(1KBYTE)

5.1 Operation env:
Hardware type: rpi5 ARCH64 OS , I2c bus on CSI : 4
5.2: Detect EEPROM on i2c bus:
i2cdetect -y 4

There should be 4 devices with address 0x50 0x51 0x52 0x53 detected.
Each device have 256 byte content.

5.3: Read EEPROM content
Take device address 0x51 sub address 0x00 as a example:
i2cget -y 4 0x51 0x00

5.4: Write EEPROM and read the content
i2cset -y 4 0x51 0x00 0xaa
i2cget -y 4 0x51 0x00

Strobe Mode

6.1 I2c tools download
i2c-tools-arch32.zip
i2c-tools-arch64.zip

6.2 Description
IMX296 official driver that provide by RPI default kernel not enable strobe by default.
Imx296 can output strobe while work in normal or fast trigger mode, We can enable strobe by i2c tools.

• Imx296 I2c address: 0x1a
• Pi5 csi1 i2c bus address : i2c-4

Note: strobe setting must be done while camera stream is off.
Regs and setting values
0x3026: 0x0F
0X3029:0x21
0x306D: 0X02(trigger mode strobe enable) /0x01(normal mode strobe enable)
Strobe start point 3byte:
0x3070 :0x00
0x3071 :0x00
0x3072 :0x00
Strobe end point 3byte:
0x3074:0x2c
0x3075:0x01
0x3076:0x00

0x3079: 0X0A(trigger mode strobe enable) /0x09(normal mode strobe enable)
Strobe start point 3byte:
0x307c :0x00
0x307d :0x00
0x307e :0x00
Strobe end point 3byte:
0x3080 :0x2c
0x3081 :0x01
0x3082 :0x00
I2c tools write register:
./i2c_write 4 0x1a <reg addr> <reg val>
I2c tools read register:
./i2c_read 4 0x1a <reg addr> <num of regs regs to read>

Official Software Manual

• https://www.raspberrypi.com/documentation/computers/camera_software
• https://github.com/raspberrypi/documentation/tree/develop/documentation/asciidoc/accessories/camera

Preset System IMAGE

This is preset system IMG for raspberry pi 5.
https://www.jianguoyun.com/p/DY_2JXYQpdSrBxj-nf4FIAA
(Password : o1drfz)

Support: support@inno-maker.com
Bulk Price: sales@inno-maker.com
Website: www.inno-maker.com
Github: https://github.com/INNO-MAKER